The prior art is replete with various systems combining wind kinetic energy and solar radiation for generating electrical power. One group of such systems discloses wind turbines with the photovoltaic modules or layers being applied to the wind turbine blades, tower, nacelle, shroud, and other components. For example:
US Patent Application Publication US2010/0207453 describes a combination of wind turbine and solar energy collectors, where a solar photovoltaic material is secured to the surface of the wind turbine tower to augment the power generation capability of the wind turbine.
US Patent Application Publication US2010/0183443 discloses a system for collecting wind and solar energy including a tower, wind turbine and solar energy collector having a vertically oriented frame attached to the wind turbine.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,453,167 discloses a wind turbine and solar energy collector where solar panels are mounted on the rotor blades to provide output from the combined energy of the wind turbine and the solar panels.
GB Patent 2460389 teaches a wind turbine that comprises a drum shaped blade rotor with solar panels mounted on the blades;
GB Patent 2187512 suggests a wind turbine rotor with photovoltaic cells for utilization of both wind and solar energy sources.
KR Patent Application 20020078454 describes a hybrid power generating system using wind and solar energy via a solar cell installed on a wind guide surface.
DE Patent 202004016443 discloses a combined wind turbine and solar panel system for generation of electricity that has a tall mast carrying a propeller-type turbine swivelling to face the wind and has solar panels on the south-facing side of the mast.
JP Patent Application 2005083327 teaches a wind channel to which a solar cell module is attached to channel surface, a windmill rotated by an air current passing through the wind channel inside, at an inlet or at an outlet of the wind channel, and a generator driven by the windmill.
The second group of systems includes wind energy devices with relatively small areas of solar collector modules of predominantly horizontal orientation, which are mounted either on a wind turbine itself or on an auxiliary structure that does not incorporate wind turbine, for example a pole or a building. Such standalone devices are not united into a structure with a small footprint and high load bearing capability. Examples of such systems:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,631 teaches a wind and solar electric generating plant with a plurality of wind turbine assemblies rotating on a common axis being, a common base and a common roof that has a solar energy collection and conversion system mounted on it.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,851,935 describes an integrated hybrid energy generating system capable of converting wind and solar energy and including a vertical wind turbine with windshield deflector structures incorporating solar collectors of thermo-mechanical engine.
US Patent Application 2009/0186745 describes a horizontal axis wind turbine coupled with a solar panel which are supported by a structure including a roof frame and a plurality of columns supporting that frame.
CN Patent 101777774 discloses a solar energy and wind-powered grid-connected generating system including a solar battery board device mounted on a wind motor tower frame or on a generator set tower barrel fixedly arranged at a certain azimuth angle and an inclination angle, or rotated around the tower barrel axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,525,210 reveals a roadway system for energy generation and distribution comprising a plurality of ground-based hybrid solar-wind energy generating devices and a roadway electricity grid.
The third group of systems is characterized by predominantly horizontal orientation of solar collecting elements that are mounted on top of supporting structures incorporating wind turbines. Such systems provide a relatively low energy output from the wind, since the height of the supporting elements and the turbine's wind sweeping area are limited by the load bearing capability of the supporting structures in view of the elevated center of gravity. Solar collector elements positioned on the top of the supporting structure destabilize the structure because of their unprotected wind exposure. Examples of the known art in this group:
CN Patent 101368542 describes a vertical movable vane which mainly comprises a central upright main shaft, a multi-positional square frame, a plurality of movable vanes with equal width or unequal width, an electrical control or mechanical control telescopic silencing a vane retaining pin, a lower generator and a solar energy battery plate arranged on the upper part of the support bracket.
WO Patent Application 2010US00092 20100115 discloses a power generation device including a base, a turbine mounting structure carried by the base and a wind turbine carried by the turbine mounting structure, and may further include a solar cell mounting structure connected to the base and overlying the wind turbine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,863 teaches a structure of the elevated rooftop solar panel array combined with vertical wind turbines supported by the open framework and vertical posts.
However, none of the prior art references of record discloses or teaches the novel design of the modular wind-solar energy converting and self-supporting assembly as disclosed in the subject invention hereinbelow.